Collapsible support and assembly for casing or tubing liner or patch



Jan. 28, 1969 M. M. KINLEY 3,424,244

' COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT AND ASSEMBLY FOR CASING-OR TUBING LINER OR PATCH Filed Sept. 14, 1967 Sheet of 2;

Jan. 28, 1969 M. M. KINLEY COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT AND ASSEMBLY FOR CAQING OR TUBING LINEP OR PATCH Sheet Filed Sept. 14, 1967 A a a w x Y 5i f; K v 0 I T Myra/7 Mo /9y INVEN'IVOR.

BY Magda Haw/( 1 United States Patent 3,424,244 COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT AND ASSEMBLY FOR CASING OR TUBING LINER 0R PATCH Myron M. Kinley, Chickasha, Okla, assignor to J. C. Kinley Co., a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 668,748 US. Cl. 166-114 11 Claims Int. Cl. E21b 33/12, 43/10, 17/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible support adapted to be used alone or in an assembly for supporting a tubular patch in casing or tubing prior to and during expansion of the patch into substantial conformity with the inside of the casing or tubing; said support being collapsible after expansion of the patch for obtaining a full expansion of the patch and for indicating to the operator that the patch has been expanded.

Background of the invention The field of this invention is apparatus for positioning a tubular patch on the inside of a tubular member such as casing or tubing. In my prior copending US. patent application, Ser. No. 552,812, filed May 25, 1966, a tubular patch and apparatus for installing same in casing or tubing is disclosed. Also, my US. Patent No. 3,191,677 relates to a method and apparatus for setting liners in tubing and the like. In both of such prior inventions, removable tubing stops were employed for supporting the patch, which stops prevented the expanding tool from passing completely through the tubular patch until the stop was removed or displaced downwardly. This might require several expanding runs to obtain an initial expansion with a first tool such as shown. in application Ser. No. 552,812 followed by a second tool of the type shown in Patent No. 3,191,667.

Summary of the invention The present invention constitutes an improvement over the inventions of application Ser. No. 552,812 and Patent No. 3,191,677 in several respects. With the present invention, a single tool such as one of the tapered type shown herein may be used for fully expanding the patch in a single run. Additionally, with this invention, the patch or liner may be set at any predetermined elevation with positive support during the expanding thereof. When the patch has been expanded, the support means of the present invention releases and allows the expanding tool to pass downwardly completely through the patch so that the opetrator knows that the patch is fully expanded before removing the expanding tool from the casing or tubing.

Brie description of the drawing FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the releasable support assembly of the present invention as used in conjunction with a tubular patch or liner disposed inside of a tubular member such as a casting or tubing.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the expander tool after it has passed through the tubular patch and has ollapesd the collapsible support for such patch;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are detailed 'views, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the preferred embodiment of the collapsible support of this invention with FIG. 3A showing the upper portion thereof and FIG. 3B showing the lower portion thereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3A;

Patented Jan. 28, 1969 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectitonal view taken on line 55 of FIG. 3B; and

FIG 6 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating a modified form of the collapsible support of this invention.

Descrpition of the preferred embodiments In the drawings, the letter P designates a tubular patch or liner which is preferably in the form of a cylinder with a single inside reverse bend designated by the numeral 10, such patoh P being specifically illustrated in said patent application Ser. No. 552,812. The patch P is adapted to be positioned in a tubular member such as a tubing or casing T adjacent a hole 12 or other defect in the tubular member T which it is desired to cover or patch from the inside thereof. The patch or liner P is supported at a predetermined elevation in the tubular member T adjacent to the defect 12 by a collapsible support S which is preferably disposed immediately below the patch P. The collapsible support S may be directly resting upon a removable stop R of conventional construction. The support S may be disposed upon one or more solid spacer bars B which rest upon a removable stop R and which may take any suitable form so long as they are capable of passing through the inside of the patch P after the patch P has been fully expanded to substantially conform to the inside surface of the tubular member T, as will be more fully explained. In some instances, a plurality of the collapsible supports S may be employed rather than, or in addition to, one or more of the solid spacer bars B. The number of the collapsible supports S and the spacer bars B will be determined by the distance from the removable stop R to the elevation at which the patch or liner P is to be disposed in the tubular member T. Preferably, the removable stop R is of the type which is adapted to be positioned in a collar or joint 14 of the tubing T and therefore the distance from suck joint 14 to the hole or other defect 12 may be readily determined in advance with conventional equipment. However, the stop R may be set in tubing which does not have an internal collar recess, in which case the stop R will usually be set by pounding down on it with weights until it does not move downwardly any further. Then, the distance to the defect 12 or other elevation can be readily measured so that the length of the support S and any suitable number of spacer bars B and other supports S may be selected to position the hatch or liner P at such predetermined elevation.

The patch P is expanded so as to conform, or substantially conform to the inside surface of the tubing T by any suitable expander tool such as the expander tool E illustrated in the drawings. Other forms of expander tools are illustrated in said application Ser. 552,812 and US. Patent No. 3,191,677. The expander tool E is of the tapered type which has a lowered tapered portion 15 and a substantially cylindrical portion 16 at its upper part. The tool E is preferably lowered on a wireline 18 and a suitable jar and weights (not shown) for use with a wireline are incorporated between the wireline 18 and the expander tool E. In some instances, the expander tool B may be lowered on support pipe or tubing rather than a wireline. The cylindrical portion 16 is prefarably of the diameter corresponding to the final inside diameter of the patch P when it is fully expanded into substantial conformity with the inside surface of the tubing or tubular member T, although it may be smaller than such inside diameter if it is desirable to perform the expansion of the patch P in more than one expanding operation.

The preferred embodiment of the collapsible support S illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3A-5 includes an inner mandrel 20 which has a solid lower head 22 welded thereto as indicated at 22a, or otherwise suitably afiixed thereto. The

mandrel includes a plurality of lateral openings 20b which are spaced longitudinally with respect to each other for receiving a shear pin 30 as will be explained hereinafter. The number of such openings 20b and the distance therebetween as shown in the drawings is not to be construed as limiting since such number and distance may be varied as desired for varying the length of the support S as will be more evident hereinafter.

The support S also includes a sleeve which is slidably disposed over the mandrel 20. In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve 25 is of a square tubular cross-section (FIG. 4), although such sleeve 25 may be cylindrical or of other cross-section configuration, as will be more evident hereinafter. The sleeve 25 has a support and anvil head 26 secured to the upper end of the sleeve 25 by welding as indicated at 26a or by any other suitable securing means. The head 26 is adapted to engage the lower edge of the patch for supporting same as illustrated in FIG. 1, and it is also adapted to be contacted by the lower end of the expander tool E after it has passed downwardly to that point in the patch P at which it can contact such head 26.

The lower end of the sleeve 25 is preferably formed with a cylindrical sleeve section 25a which is suitably secured thereto such as by an annular weld 25b, or any other suitable securing means. A lateral hole 25c is formed in the sleeve section 75a, and it is adapted to be aligned with any one of the lateral openings 20b in the mandrel 20.

Shear pin 30 extends through the opening 25c and into one of the openings 20b as illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 5. A retainer cylinder is disposed externally of the sleeve section 25a for retaining the shear pin 30 in position in the aligned openings 25c and 20b. The cylinder or retainer 35 is adapted to move longitudinally relative to the sleeve section 25a for exposing the shear pin 30 so that it can be inserted, removed, or replaced. Normally, the lower edge of the retainer cylinder 35 rests upon a stop ring 36 which is welded at 36a or is otherwise suitably secured to the special section 25a.

To prevent relative rotation between the mandrel 20 and the sleeve 25, a guide pin 40 extends through the mandrel 20 laterally as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 4 so that it projects into the angular corners of the sleeve 25. Thus, the mandrel 20 and the sleeve 25 may move longitudinally relative to each other, assuming the shear pin 30 is not in position or has been sheared, but the mandrel 20 and the sleeve 25 cannot be rotated relative to each other. Instead of having a sleeve 25 of a square crosssection, the sleeve 25 may be in the form of a cylinder with suitable slots formed internally thereof for receiving the ends of the pin 40 in the same manner as the corners of the square sleeve 25 receive the ends of the pin 40. Thus, the pin 40 in co-operation with the sleeve 25 prevents a rotation of the mandrel 20 with respect to the sleeve 25 so as to maintain the opening 250 always rotationally aligned with the openings 20b. Thus, the length of the support S may be changed by moving the sleeve longitudinally relative to the mandrel 20' and the desired length may be fixed by the insertion of the shear pin 20 into any one of the openings 20b and also into the aligned opening 25c.

In the operation or use of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-5 of this invention, the removable stop R is positioned in the collar or joint 14 in the conventional manner and then the collapsible support S is lowered into the.tubing or other tubular member T so as to rest upon the removable stop R. If spacer bars B are to be employed, they are lowered into the tubing T in advance of the collapsible support S and are positioned as illustrated in FIG. 1. However, the apparatus of this invention may be employed without using any solid spacer bars B and instead, a single support S or a plurality of such supports S may be used; alternatively, a plurality of such collapsible supports S may be used in conjunction with one or more solid spacer bars B, all of which are supported by the removable stop R. The uppermost collapsible support S is extended prior to lowering it into the tubing T so that the shear pin 30 is in one of the openings 20b above the lowermost opening 20b so that there will be a downward movement or telescoping of the sleeve 25 relative to the inner mandrel 20 when the shear pin 30 is severed to collapse the support S. If several collapsible supports S are employed, each of them may be extended so that each of them will collapse by telescoping, preferably in succession, with the uppermost support S collapsing first and then with each succeeding support S therebelow collapsing thereafter by impact from the expander tool E.

The patch P is lowered into the tubular member or tubing T so that it is disposed on the upper head 26 of the uppermost collapsible support S as illustrated in FIG. 1. Thereafter, the expander tool E is lowered on a wireline 18 or other suitable support and is manipulated so that it jars downwardly through the patch P, expanding the reverse bend portion 10 outwardly so as to cause the patch P to assume a true cylindrical shape conforming to the inside surface of the tubular member or tubing T.

With the expander tool E illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wedge portion 15 may readily proceed downwardly through the patch P and it is followed by the cylindrical portion 16 which is of a diameter to fully expand the patch P to the cylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 2.

When the lower end of the expander tool E reaches the lower end of the patch P, it will contact the head 26, and thereafter, impacts or jars from the expander tool E will be transmitted to such head 26 and will also thus be transmitted to sleeve 25 and the sleeve section 25a. Since the inner mandrel 20 is supported directly or indirectly on the removable stop R, the portion of the shear pin 30 which extends through one of the openings 20b is thus supported against downward movement while the outer sleeve 25a is acting on the pin 20 with each blow of the expander tool E to impart a shearing force to such pin 30. Thus, the shear pin 30 is eventually sheared by the impact from the expander tool E on the head 26, and When this occurs, the sleeve 25 will move downwardly relative to the mandrel 20 so as to telescope the sleeve 25 relative to the mandrel 20, the extent of such telescoping depending upon the height of the particular hole 20b in which the pin 30 is positioned. Thus, the over-all length of the support S will be shortened a sufiicient distance to at least permit the expander tool E to pass completely through the patch P as illustrated in FIG. 2 so that the cylindrical portion 16 can fully expand the entire length of the patch P.

Thereafter, the expander tool E is removed and then the collapsible tool S is removed from the tubing T through the bore of the patch P by a suitable fishing tool of conventional construction. It should be noted that the external diameter of the collapsible support S, including its fishing neck 26b, is sufiiciently small so that it can pass upwardly through the internal bore of the patch P after it has been expanded to its expanded position shown in FIG. 2. Likewise, any spacer bars B are of a sufliciently small diameter so that they also can be removed upwardly through the bore of the patch P. The spacer bars B have fishing necks 45 so that they can be engaged and retrieved or lifted upwardly through the bore of the patch P with a suitable fishing tool. The removable stop R may, of course, also be removed upwardly through the bore of the patch P with any suitable fishing or recovery tool in a conventional manner. Thus, all of the apparatus of this invention may be removed from the tubing T leaving only the patch or liner P in position so that the tubing T may be subsequently used for performing various well operations.

A modified collapsible support 8-1 is illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein an inner mandrel is disposed internally of an external sleeve which is slidable relative thereto in the same manner as explained heretofore in connection with the mandrel 20 and the sleeve 25 of FIGS. 3A and 3B. The lower end of the mandrel 120 has. a lower plug or head 122 secured thereto by a weld 122a or other suitable means. The upper end of the sleeve 125 has an upper head 126 secured thereto by an annular weld 126a or other suitable means. Also, a suitable fishing neck 126b is provided on the head 126. The head 126 has a suitable longitudinal central opening 126d through which extends an actuating rod 50, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Such rod 50 is releasably held with respect to the upper head 126 by a very light shear pin 52 which extends through a lateral opening 126e in the head 126 and also through a lateral opening 50a in the actuating rod 50. Such pin 52 is adapted to be sheared on a downward movement of the rod 50 relative to the head 126 and usually such shearing can be accomplished with a few blows of the expander E on the upper end 50b of the rod 5 0.

The inner mandrel 120 is provided with one or more dogs 60, each of which is pivotally mounted at 60a for swinging inwardly and outwardly relative to the mandrel 120. Each dog 60 hangs substantially vertically so that its outer surface is retracted inwardly of the inner surface of the sleeve 125, but a locking wedge 62 is adapted to be used for holding the dog 60 outwardly in the position shown in solid line in FIG. 6. Such locking wedge 62 has a tapered surface or surfaces 62a which is adapted to engage the inner surface of the dog 60 to urge it outwardly and hold same in one of the slots 125a formed in the wall of the sleeve 125. The degree of extension of the sleeve 125 with respect to the inner mandrel 120 will determine which of the slots 125a receives the dog 60. This can be predetermined in the same manner as explained heretofore in connection with the selecting of the length of the collapsible support S. Only two of the slots 125a are illustrated in FIG. 6, but it will be appreciated that such slots 125a may be positioned at various points so that the extended length may be selected for the collapsible support 8-1 to facilitate the proper positioning of the patch or liner P in the same manner as heretofore described in connection with FIG. 1.

Thus, with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the predetermined length of the collapsible support 8-1 is set by positioning the sleeve 125 with respect to the inner mandrel 120, and then the rod 50 is pulled upwardly to hold the dog 60 in the slot 125a adjacent thereto. Such slot 50 is, of course, moved upwardly before inserting the shear pin 52, but as soon as the dog 60 is in one of the slots 125a, the shear pin 52 is inserted through the openings 126e and 50a. Thereafter, the collapsible support S-1 is handled in the same manner as explained heretofore in connection with the collapsible support S. However, it is to be noted that a much smaller force is required to release the collapsible support S1 than is required for releasing the support S since a smaller shear pin 52 is normally utilized as compared to the shear pin 30. Thus, the shear pin 52 may be so small that a single blow on the upper end 50b with the lower end of the expander tool E is sufiicient to shear the pin 52 and permit the locking dog 60 to swing downwardly and out of the slot 125a whereby the sleeve 125 telescopes downwardly by gravity until its lower end is in engagement with the head 122. The presence of the locking dog 60 assures that the sleeve 125 and the mandrel 120 are maintained in the expanded or operating position until such time as a blow is imparted directly to the upper end of the rod 50 for shearing the pin 52. Thus, no jarring force is really imparted to the pin 52 until the upper end of the rod 50 is jarred or hit by the expander E. For this reason, such pin 52 may be of a very light construction and made shearable with a single blow, if desired. Also, it is to be noted that the sleeve 125 may be a tube or cylinder, and the dog 60 may serve to prevent relative rotation of the sleeve 125 with respect to the mandrel 120 when the dog 60 is in one of the openings or slots 12511.

It should be noted that this invention is particularly suitable for installing a patch in a tubular member, but

any type of liner or other internal cylinder may be installed in another tubular member with the present invention, whether it is for the purpose of patching or for some other purpose.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible support for a tubular linear in a tubular member adapted to be positioned on a removable stop, comprising:

(a) an inner mandrel having a lower end adapted to be prevented from moving downwardly in the tubular member by the removable stop;

(b) a sleeve disposed slidably over said mandrel for slidable movement relative thereto;

(0) an anvil head at the upper end of said sleeve for supporting engagement with the tubular liner and for receiving impacts imparted thereto during the expansion of said liner;

(d) releasable means securing said sleeve in a releasable position relative to said mandrel; and

(e) said releasable means being releasable by impact whereby said sleeve telescopes relative to said mandrel to release said sleeve from supporting engagement with said liner.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

(a) adjustment means for said releasable means for permitting the positioning of said sleeve and said mandrel at different relative longitudinal positions whereby the over-all length of said sleeve and mandrel together may be predetermined for locating the liner at a predetermined elevation in a tubular memher.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said releasable means includes a shear pin adapted to extend through a lateral opening in said sleeve aligned 'with a lateral opening in said mandrel; and

(-b) said sleeve having a plurality of lateral openings spaced from each other at longitudinal intervals, each of which is adapted to be aligned with a lateral opening in said sleeve for receiving said shear pin to releasably maintain said sleeve and mandrel at selected over-all lengths.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

(a) adjustment means for said releasable means for permitting the positioning of said sleeve and said mandrel at different relative longitudinal positions whereby the over-all length of said sleeve and mandrel together may be predetermined for locating the tubular patch at a predetermined elevation in a tubular member; and

(b) means for preventing relative rotation between said mandrel and said sleeve during relative longitudinal movement of said sleeve said said mandrel.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said releasable means is a shear pin adapted to extend through a lateral opening in said sleeve aligned with a lateral opening in said mandrel;

(b) said sleeve having a plurality of lateral openings spaced from each other at longitudinal intervals, each of which is adapted to be aligned with a lateral opening in said sleeve for receiving said shear pin to releasably maintain said sleeve and mandrel at selected over-all lengths; and

(c) a retainer slidably mounted on said sleeve for holding said shear pin in the aligned openings in said sleeve and said mandrel and adapted for movement to expose said shear pin for removal and for positioning of the shear pin in aligned opening of said mandrel and said sleeve in any selected relative position thereof.

6. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said releasable means includes:

(a) a locking dog adapted to releasably lock said inner mandrel to said sleeve;

(b) a longitudinally movable wedge for holding said locking dog in locking position; and

(0) means for releasing said Wedge to thereby release said dog from its locking position for permitting said sleeve to telescope relative to said mandrel.

7. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said releasable means includes:

(a) a locking dog adapted to releasably lock said inner mandrel to said sleeve;

(b) a longitudinally movable wedge for holding said locking dog in locking position;

(c) an actuating rod connected to said wedge and having its upper end extending upwardly above said anvil head when said wedge is holding said locking dog in a locked position; and

(d) shear means adapted to be sheared by a few blows securing said actuating rod to said anvil head.

8. A collapsible support assembly for a liner which is adapted to be expanded to substantially conform to the inside surface of a tubular member, comprising:

(a) a removable stop adapted to be anchored in the tubular member at a' predetermined elevation;

(b) a longitudinally telescoping support disposed above said removable stop and supported thereby for supporting the liner in the tubular member; and

(c) an expander tool for expanding the liner and for elfecting a telescoping of said longitudinally telescoping support to release said support from its supporting position below the liner.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8, including:

(a) another longitudinal support disposed between said telescoping support and said removable stop for locating the liner a desired distance above said rcmovable stop.

10. The structure set forth in claim 8, including:

(a) another longitudinally telescoping support disposed between said telescoping support and said removable stop for locating the liner a desired distance above said removable stop.

11. The structure set forth in claim 8, wherein said longitudinally telescoping support comprises:

(a) an inner mandrel having a lower end adapted to be prevented from moving downwardly in the tubular member by the removable stop;

( b) a sleeve disposed slidably over said mandrel for slidable movement relative thereto;

(c) an anvil head at the upper end of said sleeve for supporting engagement with the tubular patch and for receiving impacts imparted thereto during the expansion of such patch; and

(d) releasable means securing said sleeve in a releasable position relative to said mandrel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,286 5/1950 Otis l66-1l4 2,984,585 7/1959 Erwin l66---178 3,191,677 7/1965 Kinley 166207 JAMES A. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. l66207; 17532l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,424,244 January 28, 1969 Myron M. Kinley It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 12, "linear should read liner Signed and sealed this 24th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. 

